Christine Johnson’s award-winning animal photographs can’t help but make you smile. Her sitters are beloved family pets whose portraits become treasured pieces of art. But Christine’s growing success is born out of a devastating personal tragedy. Ten years ago, she looked on as her partner Simon Sait drowned in a kayaking accident off Anglesey. Simon, a keen amateur photographer, had encouraged Christine to take pictures and after his death she found solace in picking up his camera.
Christine, who lives in Warrington and owns the ICpaws pet sitting business and Paws for a Photo photography company, is now collecting a string of accolades and has just been crowned Pet and Domesticated Animal Photographer 2020 by the British Photography Awards, for the Bubble Alert image of her collie, Star.
‘Simon and I met through our common interest in photography. He was really keen to become a photographer and I’d been into it for a while, so I wanted to help him,’ says Christine. ‘I set him up on Flickr doing a photo-a-day project and I joined in, running my own pictures alongside him.
‘My photos of my dogs were a bit rubbish back then, with legs chopped off,’ she laughs. ‘Simon was always pointing out ways for me to improve and it was clear from the start he was really good – he knew more than me in many respects. He had a great eye and we really enjoyed developing our skills together.’
This story is from the April 2020 edition of Cheshire Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2020 edition of Cheshire Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Home From Home For Christmas
Want to get away for the festive season but somewhere that’s comfortingly close? Here is our top 10 of feel-good escapes in and around Cheshire
LAUREN SIMON
Lauren is still in shock about where she lives, but is making the most of autumn in Cheshire
LOUISE MINCHIN
The BBC breakfast host on life beyond the red sofa
KALINI KENT
In conversation with Cheshire’s movers and shakers
AT HOME WITH Dave Lister, Lloyd Mullaney, Trunk of Funkster CRAIG CHARLES
The multi-faceted entertainer spends his working life here, there and everywhere, and he’s very happy he has Cheshire to come home to
CLARE MACKINTOSH
Where does the author of four bestselling novels find inspiration when she’s stuck for words?
Suits you
Your chance to take home a bespoke tailored suit made in the heart of Liverpool
Swamp thing
Kunal Trehan and Thomas Hope are creating the home of their dreams in Sandbach, and started with the very damp grounds
An autumn stroll with Darcy and Elizabeth
A quarter of a century ago Colin Firth took a swim and plunged Cheshire’s Lyme Park into global fame
A BRUSH WITH CHESHIRE
Explore our diverse county through the eyes and imaginations of these artists and their very different styles